How online travel is evolving in a mobile-first country

There are a growing number of countries that be considered genuine recipients of the title "mobile-first".

Such countries are not those that have a vociferous tech media that would have people think the country's populace is just like its writers (like the US), but most likely those from so-called developing economies.

Indonesia, for example, is a mobile-first country in every sense of the phrase.

The sprawling South East Asian country has a population of 255.5 million but mobile connections over 305 million.

It's growing consumer-base spends more three hours or more every day using a mobile device.

Indonesia is also one of those markets where the web has skipped the desktop for many users, with them only ever accessing the internet from a handheld (and affordable) device.

Furthermore, two-thirds of Indonesians have made a purchase via their mobile devices.

It is also a country such as Indonesia that is giving travel brands some indication as to how they may have to rethink their marketing and engagement tactics when dealing with travellers from a mobile-first world.

To try and decipher all this, Google conducted a major project with research house GFK this year and dived into its own search query data to try and understand what's going on in this highly mobile powerhouse.

Unveiled at the WebinTravel conference in Singapore last week, here follows some of the slides:

In summary:

Hotel bookers rely on digital for inspiration, as well as for research and booking.

Planning "journeys" are long though sessions can be short.

Aggregators key source of information, but accommodation providers not working hard enough to be found.